Ilulissat Tourist-Service

Miscellaneous trips






Holiday with a Greenlandic family
Village holiday in your own house
Various hunting trips
Experience the polar nigth
Greenlandic folk-dancing
Greenlandic choir evening
Mask and drum dance
Kayak demonstration
Barbecue
Greenland's National Day
HOLIDAYING WITH A GREENLANDIC FAMILY

The tour for those who want to obtain an insight into the everyday life of a Greenlandic hunter’s family. Experience the local culture at first hand and try living like one of the local inhabitants. Our host families are very hospitable and you will get involved in everything from “coffee-mik” or “dance-mik” to hunting seals or picking berries. If you wish you can join a family on its summer hunting expedition and live in a tent or house in one of our deserted villages which are very much in use during the summer. All our host families speak Danish and live in one of the municipality’s four villages.
We take care of all necessities with regard to transport to and from the village, the guide will present you to the family and you are then free to enjoy your stay from 1 - 14 days.
Tour number: JAV 35.

VILLAGE HOLIDAY IN YOUR OWN HOUSE

If you are seriously thinking of getting away from it all for a delightful holiday on your own initiative in delightful surroundings, this is for you. You will live in your own house in the now deserted village of Appat ( formerly the colony Ritenbenk ) which has a really beautiful location on the sheltered west side of Arveprinsens Ejland. Here you will have plenty of opportunities to ply all your interests: Fishing, hunting ( with guide ), botany, ornithology ( Appat is close to one of the famous bird cliffs in Greenland ), geology, hiking, sailing ( with guide ) and so on. You will also have to buy your daily necessities before leaving Ilulissat and do everything for yourself, cooking, washing and the like under rather primitive conditions. There is one permanent summer resident at Appat, the fishery supervisor, and he will naturally help you with dingy transport around the area, he is also in radio contact with the outside world.
Tour number: JAV 36.

VARIOUS HUNTING TRIPS

In 1994 the first hunting and fishing guides proper - Greenland Outfitters - in Greenland had completed their training, We are now able to offer a wide range of hunting trips of different types for all our guests who are interested in the sport. All outfitters are local hunters from the district with in great knowledge of the area. they have all attended a VHF course and a first aid course, have hunting licenses and have received training in nature protection and hunting safety. We can offer many types of hunting trips from 1 - 30 days depending on your wishes.

All tours will be individually arranged between you and your guide and all include full board, boat trips, tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, weapons and fishing tackle.
Tour number: JAV40.

EXPERIENCE GREENLAND DURING THE POLAR NIGHT

A different tour to Greenland where you experience the polar night and the Northern Lights, moonshine! The polar night at llulissat lasts from November 20th to January 13th. But it is not dark all day long as on a clear day here there is about 4 hours of daylight in the middle of the day.
The sun returns on January 13th and the schools close on that day as well as some shops and many people from town go out to Holms Hill where at 12.47 it is possible to see the sun for a few minutes (if not cloudy). Naturally, the sun is welcomed with songs and delight! As the town itself lies in the shadow of the mountains it takes several weeks before it is visible from the town itself.
The Northern Lights are visible from September to March. It is also possible to spend New Year’s eve at Ilulissat, which is a really special experience because it is celebrated twice. In Denmark it is celebrated at 8 p.m. (4 hours' difference of time) and then again at the Greenlandic New Year at midnight.
Ask for a special programme on a New Year stay at Ilulissat.

Day I - Wednesday:
Arrival at llulissat by plane from Copenhagen via Kangerlussuaq. The driver from Hotel Hvide Falk will be at the airport to take you to your hotel. After checking in there will be an information meeting on Ilulissat and the next days programme. There will then be time for new arrivals to acclimatise themselves before dinner at the hotel.

Day 2. Thursday:
Walk around town 10 a.m. We will take you to see the old and new parts of town, the museum (the house Knud Rasmussen was born in) to the beautiful Zion Church and the guide will talk about the history of Ilulissat, commerce and much more. The tour is included in the price of the holiday.
At 2 p.m. you will he fetched again from the hotel and we will take you to see the traditional workshop where they make slippers, gloves, sealskin top boots (kamikker) and waistcoats of sealskin etc. We will also pay a visit to the local stone polisher's workshop where Kaja Mørup will welcome you and show you the beautiful jewellery she makes out of Greenlandic stones. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 3 . Friday:
You can take a trip on a dog sledge today - there are several possibilities, according to your wishes, such as:
Two-hour dog sledge trip in daylight - or after dark. Even though it is dark, the stars, Northern Lights and the moon will light up the snow so you will easily be able to see. The trip is included in the price of the holiday.
For a supplementary charge you can extend the dog sledge trip to 5 or 6 hours and go to the village of Oqaatsut / Rodebay which is roughly 15 km. north of Ilulissat. The journey to Oqaatsut takes about two hours and at the village you will be invited in for a Greenlandic “coffee-mik” with coffee and cakes and you can also eat your packed lunch here which is supplied in a special “Arctic packed lunch warmer”, so that it will not freeze on the journey. You will also enjoy going inside and getting warm again. About an hour will be spent at Oqaatsut and then you return to Ilulissat.
Depending on ice conditions it may be possible to visit some fishermen on the return journey as they try for halibut with long lines through holes in the ice. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 4. Saturday:
The morning is at your disposal. You could pop in to llulissat Tourist Services shop where there is a good choice of Greenlandic handicrafts, furs, books and much more.
At 1 p.m., walk to Sermermiut, an ancient Inuit settlement which has been lived in for about 4,000 years. The guide will talk about Sermermiut’s history and the people who have lived here. Sermermiut is delightfully situated with a view of the Ice Fjord. Then on to 'Kællingekløften" (The Old Woman's Ravine) from where there is a magnificent view and here you can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. The tour lasts roughly two hours and is included in the price of the holiday. Dinner at the hotel. Greenlandic specialities will be served this evening and there will be entertainment after dinner.

Day 5 - Sunday:
At 10 a.m. there is a Greenlandic church service at one of our two churches, we recommend that you experience the special atmosphere here. The afternoon is at your disposal for a walk or another dog sledge trip. We also rent out cross-country skis and boots for those who would like to try this. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 6 - Monday:
Departure for Kangerlussuaq. In the afternoon ( or Tuesday morning ) there may be a musk ox safari by bus ( not included in the price of the holiday ). Spend the night at Hotel Kangerlussuaq.

Day 7 - Tuesday:
Departure for Copenhagen.
Tour number: JAV39.

GREENLANDIC FOLK-DANCING

If you would like a specially entertaining evening at your hotel after dinner, we can arrange for 8 - 12 Greenlandic folk-dancers o perform in their beautiful national costumes. Folk-dancing originally came to Greenland with the European - and particularly Scottish - whalers as early as the 17th century. The people of Greenland adopted these entertaining dances and still dance folk-dances on special occasions. The dancers perform various dances for about an hour with a short break
Tour number: JAV 43.

GREENLANDIC CHOIR EVENING

Choir song has a long and proud tradition in Greenland. People sing very beautifully and loudly on an everyday basis and special occasions. We can now offer our visitors the chance to hear this. We can arrange for a choir to come to sing Greenlandic ballads and psalms after dinner at your hotel. This is highly entertaining and the choir has members of all ages with both men and women in national costume.
Tour number: JAV 44.

MASK AND DRUM DANCE

The drum dance was formerly of great significance in small communities, in the Thule area and in East Greenland as internal quarrels were decided with the help of drum dances and satirical songs. Today drum dances are only performances, but they are still very entertaining. Drum dances can be arranged in connection with dinner at your hotel - or in connection with other arrangements outside town. The drum dancer starts by making himself up while he talks about the significance of the drum dance.
Tour number: JAV 45.

KAYAK DEMONSTRATION

We arrange kayak demonstrations for larger groups and in connection with docking of cruise ships.
The Greenlandish kayak is a flimsy vessel comprising a wooden frame covered with watertight sealskin. The kayak has been of basic significance as a vessel for hunting and travelling for thousands of years. Today, the kayak is only used in the original way in a few places in Greenland, but there is a great deal of interest for maintaining the traditions and skills today, so there are many kayak clubs in Greenland whose members enjoy giving demonstrations and the money they earn in this way is used to further the aims of their clubs.

Information on arrangements.

Tour number: JAV46.

BARBECUE

Experience a genuine Greenlandish barbecue
There is an old tradition in Greenland for people to congregate out of doors to prepare the season’s bag. We are pleased that we can now offer our guests this very special experience in collaboration with Ilulissat Women’s Association.
The tour starts at the tourist office or the hotel. We then fetch our “Greenlandish cooks” and together walk to the mountain where we find a suitable place. We help to find fuel after which the season’s specialities are prepared. Depending on the catch of the day before we can offer: seal meat, whale meat, dried meat, fresh fish, dried strips of halibut, ammasatter and so on. Finally there is coffee or tea.
After about three hours it is time to say goodbye to our hosts. We will be fetched by the tourist office and driven home.
Tour number: JAV47.

GREENLAND'S NATIONAL DAY, 21 JUNE

Greenland’s national day on 21 June is a holiday in Greenland and festivities are held in towns and villages throughout the country. The national day is the longest day of the year - here in the land of the midnight sun it is the day when the sun is highest at midnight.
At Ilulissat the day starts with collective “coffee-mik” and speeches at the municipal offices. Then there is a church service and during the day various arrangements such as kayak and women's boat (umiak) demonstrations, meeting in the mountains at Hotel Arctic with speeches, songs, folk-dancing, music and much more. Refreshments are on sale, but if you take a saucepan with you, you can buy inexpensive seal meat and cook on the spot as people do here in the summer.
In the evening there is music or theatre arrangements at the Arts Centre.


E-mail Ilulissat Tourist Service




Guided Tours Boat Trips Helicopter Trips Dog Sledge Tours
Fishing Tours etc. Price List '97 Sledge races Miscellaneous
Smilla Cabin Village Ilulissat Airport Camp Ice-Cap General Conditions
Greenland Outfitters Eqi ! Hotels & hostels Film Production Support
A brief introduction to the town of Ilulissat

Please contact us for further details and booking

Ilulissat Tourist Service
P.O. Box 272
DK-3952 Ilulissat
Greenland

E-mail: ilulissat.tourist@greennet.gl
Phone: +299 4 43 22
Fax: +299 4 39 33

When calling from abroad, please note
the time difference to Greenland


| Top of page | Visit Qasigiannguit Tourist-Service |







© Copyright Greenland Guide & Ilulissat Tourist-Service
http://www.greenland-guide.dk